Public speaker urges faster fire response as community data show long response times in parts of Phoenix
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Summary
A public commenter told the subcommittee that District 2 has the longest fire response times citywide and supplied specific call examples; the subcommittee had no formal action but acknowledged the concern and the need for further review of station siting and resource allocation.
A member of the public urged the Public Safety & Justice Subcommittee on Wednesday to take immediate action to reduce fire response times in parts of Phoenix, citing public‑records examples of long delays for code‑3 incidents in District 2.
Speaker Orl Abobo said the response‑time data had not recently been presented to the committee and recited several code‑3 response times obtained via public records: a suspected gas leak requiring evacuation — 13 minutes, 11 seconds; a car fire with ruptured fuel tank — 15 minutes, 44 seconds; a mountain rescue at a Sonoran Preserve trail — 22 minutes, 6 seconds; and an advanced life support call — 12 minutes, 37 seconds. Abobo said those examples demonstrate a persistent shortfall and asked the council to seek emergency funding rather than wait for longer‑term tax receipts.
"The city council and city leaders have blood on their hands and are responsible for every single citizen and firefighter who has and will die as a result of a delayed response time," Abobo said during public comment.
Committee members acknowledged the concern and noted prior discussions of station siting and staffing; no new motions or votes were taken in response to the public comment during the meeting. Staff briefings on fire department staffing and community assistance programs were marked for information only on the agenda.
